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re: JR Ball: Should dying Louisiana small towns be kept alive?
Posted on 3/6/19 at 12:28 pm to Drunken Crawfish
Posted on 3/6/19 at 12:28 pm to Drunken Crawfish
They shouldn't be killed, but they shouldn't be propped up, either.
A friend of mine lives in upstate New York. A couple hundred years ago, there was a huge timber mill there. That mill closed about a century ago. People still live there because that's where their parents lived, and their parents before that. Poverty is rampant, because there are no jobs.
Keeping places like that afloat is a net drain on everyone. Instead of mailing welfare checks out there forever, I'd much rather offer them a lump sum to relocate.
A friend of mine lives in upstate New York. A couple hundred years ago, there was a huge timber mill there. That mill closed about a century ago. People still live there because that's where their parents lived, and their parents before that. Poverty is rampant, because there are no jobs.
Keeping places like that afloat is a net drain on everyone. Instead of mailing welfare checks out there forever, I'd much rather offer them a lump sum to relocate.
1
Posted on 3/6/19 at 12:30 pm to Drunken Crawfish
The problem is the growth in local government in those towns. The population goes down, but the level of government goes up.
Some of those towns eventually come back.
Some of those towns eventually come back.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 12:34 pm to tigerinthebueche
I see that you are fairly upset by his article. JR could move away, but the problems still exist. Tough pill to swallow for a lot of people from these quaint small towns, but the hard truths have been staring them in the face for quite some time.
The consolidation of economic opportunities to larger cities has played a huge part in causing people to move to where the jobs are.
This has been happening across America, not just here. The demise of our little Mayberry towns is sad. I just don't pretend to have the answers.
The consolidation of economic opportunities to larger cities has played a huge part in causing people to move to where the jobs are.
This has been happening across America, not just here. The demise of our little Mayberry towns is sad. I just don't pretend to have the answers.
This post was edited on 3/6/19 at 12:36 pm
Posted on 3/6/19 at 12:35 pm to KillTheGophers
UNO over SLU, GTFO
Posted on 3/6/19 at 1:08 pm to G Vice
quote:
I see that you are fairly upset by his article. JR could move away, but the problems still exist. Tough pill to swallow for a lot of people from these quaint small towns, but the hard truths have been staring them in the face for quite some time.
The consolidation of economic opportunities to larger cities has played a huge part in causing people to move to where the jobs are.
This has been happening across America, not just here. The demise of our little Mayberry towns is sad. I just don't pretend to have the answers.
I agree with you. Nor do I have any answers. Nor an I upset. But I find it hypocritical that he wants to throw small towns under the bus when his own hometown is likely insolvent and is being run by incompetent race-baiters who show no signs of making tough financial decisions. I can see BR being in the same shape- dependent on state tax dollars- in the near future. What will he say when BR is standing there with its hand out?
Wonder how NOLA feels about EBR's sharing of the revenue it produces as La's largest metro area and prime tourist attraction? If he wants to means test the allocation and use of state funds, great. Lets see how much money EBR gets and decide if its being "wasted". I'll bet he gets a whole new opinion the day that happens.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 1:49 pm to tigerinthebueche
He might. But I don't see him as hypocritical on this issue as you do. He has written a lot about BR issues, the St. George issue, etc, that in and of themselves boil down to allocation of resources.
Let's face it: we all have an opinion about what needs to be done with this and with that. It's mind boggling that a city with a major university, a community college, and other institutions of higher ed can be in fiscal trouble or crisis.
As a writer, what he's done is raised an issue and gotten people to talk about it. He also stoked the coals by mentioning awful Mississippi River bridge traffic situation, that all would agree needs fixing.
Let's face it: we all have an opinion about what needs to be done with this and with that. It's mind boggling that a city with a major university, a community college, and other institutions of higher ed can be in fiscal trouble or crisis.
As a writer, what he's done is raised an issue and gotten people to talk about it. He also stoked the coals by mentioning awful Mississippi River bridge traffic situation, that all would agree needs fixing.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:04 pm to G Vice
up voted.
FTR I don't know if EBR is in a fiscal crisis or not. I'm assuming it is, cause everything in this state seems to be in a state of crisis.
quote:
Let's face it: we all have an opinion about what needs to be done with this and with that. It's mind boggling that a city with a major university, a community college, and other institutions of higher ed can be in fiscal trouble or crisis.
FTR I don't know if EBR is in a fiscal crisis or not. I'm assuming it is, cause everything in this state seems to be in a state of crisis.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:10 pm to tigerinthebueche
BR is #59 out of 116 cities over 200k for fiscal solvency. Granted this is 2 years ago but I can't imagine a ton has changed.
Fiscal Times
Fiscal Times
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:13 pm to Drunken Crawfish
quote:
It’s amazing how the people of this state—who allegedly adore small government, abhor taxes, believe public dollars are generally wasted...can so easily embrace the glory days of Huey Long-style populism when it quenches some self-serving thirst.
This douche want “small government” to come in and shut down towns and force the residents out. That makes sense.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:13 pm to tigerinthebueche
quote:
FTR I don't know if EBR is in a fiscal crisis or not. I'm assuming it is, cause everything in this state seems to be in a state of crisis.
You must have missed all the threads praising BTR and NO and every place in between.
I think BTR is fine from a fiscal standpoint but the school system is not. It needs to tap into rainy day funds for 17M this year to help make ends meet. There will only be 9M left in reserves after that and its forecasted they will be 25M in the hole next year coupled that with the St. George city forming. But they love having twice as many administrative positions needed
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:17 pm to Joshjrn
quote:
Keeping places like that afloat is a net drain on everyone. Instead of mailing welfare checks out there forever, I'd much rather offer them a lump sum to relocate.
I have long been for forced relocation to receive government benefits. What is the logic in providing welfare, food stamps, etc., to someone in a town that has no jobs and will NEVER have jobs.
There are plenty of medium and large towns that need people and have jobs. Don't want to move? Fine, but the government gravy train ends.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 2:56 pm to Drunken Crawfish
I love how he uses semi thriving and sorta solvent when discussing the towns in the best shape which really aren’t in that great of shape either
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:30 pm to Drunken Crawfish
Growth industries in most rural parishes are; prison system & drug slinging. Was told Bastrop La Walmark is tops in the use of the Cajun Visa card in the state. Wiki has pop stats for each parish and it's easy to see which ones are dying just by population decrease with every census.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:35 pm to Drunken Crawfish
The state causes these problems by middling in local towns' ability to raise funds. State caps on sales tax rates, state permission required to issue bonds, state-mandated homestead exemption, state issued property tax exemptions, etc.
But no, the state should not bail them out. Life won't change much for these residents if the local services are taken over by the parish. Hell, they might actually improve.
But no, the state should not bail them out. Life won't change much for these residents if the local services are taken over by the parish. Hell, they might actually improve.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:35 pm to The Boat
quote:
This douche want “small government” to come in and shut down towns and force the residents out. That makes sense.
I don’t think they need to force anything, cut off the financial support and everything will work itself out
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:36 pm to The Boat
quote:
shut down towns and force the residents out.
Has anyone claimed this would happen?
Literally evicting residents from their towns?
I interpreted it as downgrading the towns to "villages" or something and rolling back services. I don't see relocating homeowners in that scenario at all.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:40 pm to Roman Candle Tag
quote:
Literally evicting residents from their towns?
I think that would be rare, but I could see it happening in certain situations?
Take water systems. Let's say a village or whatever shuts down. Now the parish has to provide water. They can do that by running the village's water system, or connecting them to the parish system.
However, if the local water system is in disrepair, it may be cheaper to move some residents, then to fix the system or connect it to another system.
Posted on 3/6/19 at 3:48 pm to LSUFanHouston
Good points.
Seems like a case-by-case scenario.
Something didn't jive with me- I got the impression (perhaps falsely) that folks in this thread believed that some official would roll through town, turn off the "Open" sign.
"Get fricked, residents"
Seems like a case-by-case scenario.
Something didn't jive with me- I got the impression (perhaps falsely) that folks in this thread believed that some official would roll through town, turn off the "Open" sign.
"Get fricked, residents"
Posted on 3/6/19 at 4:04 pm to LSUFanHouston
Or each house can drill their own well and put in a sewer tank like most had 30 years ago in rural areas
Posted on 3/6/19 at 4:29 pm to yellowfin
quote:
Or each house can drill their own well and put in a sewer tank like most had 30 years ago in rural areas
Yes.
What's the cost of that these days? And can you do that in a subdivision-type situation?
This post was edited on 3/6/19 at 4:30 pm
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